KOTBR #152 | Two from the Cellar and One for the Season

Some of you know how it goes.

This happens.

What do you do with all that beer?

The beer needs to breathe. It needs to visit multiple palates. Hoarding is bad. Sharing is good.

So sharing among the Knights of the Beer Roundtable it is on a brisk fall evening. Stoke the fire in the chiminea. Gather around the kitchen island with your tasting glasses, arms outstretched in anticipation of ales that you hope a bit of age has been kind to. And perhaps throw in a beer that goes with the season.

There's Tart of Darkness by The Bruery. Sour stouts are a rare thing, but rareness itself does not define a beer--or at least it should not define a beer, though some craft beer aficionados seem to think otherwise. So what to expect from a sour stout? Interestingly, not as much roasted chocolate as one might expect. The sour dominates here, with oak, cherries, and a little bit of vanilla coming through. In honor of Black Tuesday, we raise a glass of Black Tuesday's tart cousin.



Bruery Tart of Darkness Sour Stout (2013)
Kristin: 5.00 Mugs | Megan: 4.99 Mugs | Jim: 4.95 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 4.98 Mugs

Shmaltz Brewing Company's He'Brew's Jewbelation series is the product of a mission that some people might consider insane. The mission is this:  each year, release an anniversary ale. Each year, add one percent to the ABV, one malt to the grain bill, and one hop to the recipe.

Shmaltz started in 2004 with He'Brew Miraculous Jewbelation 8 on the brewery's eighth anniversary: 8% ABV, 8 malts, and 8 hops. This year marks the brewery's 17th anniversary, so they're releasing Jewbelation Reborn 17, with, yes, 17% ABV, 17 malts, and 17 hops.

Lunacy, you're thinking . . . how can this beer work? Well it works, and it works well--provided that you let the beer rest for at least a year.

So from the cellar comes last year's Jewbelation, Jewbelation Sweet 16. It nearly oozes into the glass like motor oil, and it's black like used motor oil, too. And then there's the blossoming of dark fruit notes--raisins, maybe a little bit of plum--floating over a cocoa-like foundation. Jewbelation Sweet 16 is indeed sweet and still a bit hot, perhaps too sweet and hot for some. But what should be a mess of a beer comes together--miraculously, one might say.

He'Brew Jewbelation Sweet 16 Anniversary Ale (2012)
Kristin: 3.00 Mugs | Megan: 4.00 Mugs | Jim 4.25 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.75 Mugs

While sharing from the cellar is a good goal to target, one must consider the season as well. And the season brings pumpkin spice foods and drinks--the goddamn pumpkin spice foods and drinks. They're everywhere at this time of year. Blame Starbucks. They're the driver behind this incessant march toward pumpkin hell every fall.

So yes, it's a bit much. But it's not all bad. Take Southern Tier's Warlock. Rather than settle for a traditional pumpkin ale, Southern Tier decided to take an imperial stout and dress it up in a festive pumpkin vest. Do you like the combination of chocolate and pumpkin flavors? Then you'll want this particular beer, though the pumpkin notes are milder than you might get from a regular pumpkin beer. So pour yourself a Warlock, fire up your VCR, put in an episode of Sammy Terry archived on VHS, and enjoy.


Southern Tier Warlock Imperial Stout (2013) (Blackwater Series)
Kristin: 4.50 Mugs | Megan: 4.69 Mugs | Jim: 3.00 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 4.06 Mugs

Beer and Cheese - April & May Editions

The Fungus Among Us

We recently gathered at Goose the Market to sample the April and May pairings for the Beer & Cheese Club. Or, as I like to call it,The Best Club Ever.  

April's pairing was Langres cheese with The Bruery Saison Rue.  SO GOOD.  Langres is a French cow's milk cheese. Don't let the fancy name fool ya, it has a very down to earth flavor, creamy and smooth.  It was encased in penicillium. Yes, I too freaked out about that. But not to worry...they do that a lot with cheese. It's a bit different than ACTUAL penicillin, so if you are allergic to the antibiotic you can probably still eat the cheese....**maybe.  (**Do not take medical advice from a beer geek)  The Saison Rue, a Belgian/farmhouse style ale, was a terrific pairing. The subtle malty, spicy, citrus hints blended well with the creamy mouth-feel of the Langres. 

May's pairing was Kenny's 'Ted' cheese with Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel.  Kenny's Farmhouse Cheese.  Just take a moment to read that again...and remember it.  Kenny makes this delightful cheese right down the road in Barren County, Kentucky. He uses raw milk from cows that roam around right in his pasture.  The Ted, named after his grandfather, is a molded cheese, but you only get that moldy, funky, taste around the outside.  The middle  tastes like an aged cheddar. I ATE THE ENTIRE MIDDLE. I don't do mold...yet.  The Triple IPA paired very nicely with the sharpness of this cheese.  I also found that the cheese mellowed out the 'heat' from the higher ABV (9%).

To join the Beer and Cheese Club at Goose the Market (in conjunction with Hoosier Beer Geek), check out this PDF and then either call Goose the Market at 317-924-4944 or stop in the shop at 2503 N. Delaware St.

Seasonal Beer Overload

This time of year is the best for seasonal beers hitting the store shelves. It is my favorite time of the year for many reasons and great seasonal beer is just another thing to look forward to this season. The problem is that they are beers I want to stock up on, but they separate me and my money in an accelerated fashion.  I would say that November and December are my most expensive beer spending months of the year.  Too much awesome beer hits the shelves this time of the year.

Here are some of the beers I always look forward to each year:

Three Floyd's Alpha Klaus Christmas Porter - I love porter and this combines the wonder hop profile that is Three Floyds calling card with a delicious porter base. They do an outstanding job with dark beer and I would love to see a dark beer from them in six pack year round format (i.e. Hells Black Intelligencer).  This beer just hit town last week and will move pretty quickly.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale - It isn't the holiday season unless I've bought  a six pack of this tasty seasonal IPA.  It just hit Indy a few weeks ago and for the price is an outstanding six pack for the season.

Deschutes - The Abyss Imperial Stout - I traded for a bottle of this beer several years ago and now it is the only beer I buy an entire case of bombers per year.  You can buy it online if you are fast enough, but trading for it is much easier.  It is not available to purchase in Indiana.

The Bruery's Four Calling Birds - I've enjoy this series based on the 12 Day of Christmas.  I usually buy two and drink one now and save one for the vertical.  This just hit Indy as well.

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout - I don't think there is a better bourbon barrel aged beer out there for the money.  This is usually easy to find but last year it was tough to find, and I hope it will stick around a bit this year.  The coffee bourbon county stout should be out soon as well.  This should hopefully hit town in the next few weeks.

Boston Beer Company's (Sam Adams) - Old Fezziwig Winter Warmer - It only comes in the holiday sampler pack, but I buy the 12 pack just for this beer. It isn't really a winter warmer to me, but however you want to categorize it the beer is delicious.  This is out around town right now.

Bell's Expedition Stout - This was the first beer I ever put in my beer cellar.  I don't like this beer fresh, but getting a new sixer of it each year when it comes out is a tradition.  Expedition turns into one of the finest imperial stouts available after a year of age on it.  This is one of the best beers you can buy without any type of shit show associated with trying to find some of it.  Last years batch is still out on the shelves right now and this years batch will be along soon.

Wild Card -

Goose Island King Henry Barleywine - I had this at the festival of barrel aged beers a few weeks ago and thought it was outstanding. Goose Island is having a black Friday event to begin selling the beer, but I hope we see some distribution to Indy.

What seasonal beers do you look forward to drinking?

Cheers!
Matt

Beer and Cheese Club - March Edition

The month of March brings us a funky, spiced up Italian cheese and an equally spicy, Belgian-inspired Saison.  The cheese featured this month is simply named Juni, after the juniper berries that have been added to the curd.  This is a raw cow's milk cheese with a thick rind of mold.  Incredibly fragrant from both the juniper berries and the rind, this cheese continues the Beer and Cheese Club into new territories with something unlike any cheese featured in previous months.

Saison de Lente, the seasonal beer from The Bruery was just released earlier this month and quickly found its way into this pairing.  With a bold, spicy presence and a slightly creamy body, this beer was a natural fit for the Juni.  The Brettanomyces cultures used to ferment this beer impart a wonderful complexity to the beer without imparting any sourness.  If you haven't had many beers from The Bruery, this is a great one to introduce you to their Belgian-inspired catalog.

If you're a member of the Beer and Cheese Club at Goose the Market, your March installment is likely ready for you to pick up right now. If you're not a member, the club is $99 for 4 months. This month nets you 1 750mL bottle of The Bruery Saison de Lente and a massive wedge of Juni. Either of these items would be great experiences on their own, but we feel they are even better when consumed together.

The beer and cheese club is quickly becoming something I look forward to every month. This month brings us a beer from Orange County, California, and a cheese from Piedmont, Italy.  Bruery’s Saison de Lente is a farmhouse ale in their seasonal collection.  It ushers in spring with a generous amount of hops and a touch of Brettanomyces that keeps the beer spicy yet refreshingly subtle.  The cheese is interesting mix of hard and soft featuring a rind that is fuzzy gray with bright yellow bits.  If you look closely, its textured surface resembles paint on a canvas.  Near the rind, the cheese is very firm, but closer to the core, it gets softer and even a bit stretchy.  The cheese reminded me of fresh pineapple, both in the nose and in flavor.  The juniper berries that are added in give the cheese a piney crunch. The pairing melds tangy, funky flavors in the cheese with refreshing spiciness in the beer.  Thanks Goose the Market!

When we first saw the cheese, I was surprised at how tall it was.  That seems like an odd first impression, but I was having trouble figuring out how I would cut it (haha, cut the cheese).  The rind, while incredibly thick, is a great contrast to the soft, creamy cheese.  When I placed my slice of cheese on my plate, I immediately investigated the rind.  I'm no cheese expert, so I always poke around at the rind to figure out if it's edible.  It certainly had the characteristics of an edible rind, but the fuzzy mold had me apprehensive.  I tried a small piece and decided that this particular mold would not kill me.  Or at least it hasn't yet.  The rind is funky with an earthy character.  It works great in compliment to the cheese, but too much by itself is a bit overpowering.  The cheese has an aroma of mushrooms and juniper, quite strong on the juniper actually.  It may come as a surprise how mellow the cheese is without the rind, but it is best enjoyed with a bit of the rind attached and a few chunks of juniper berries.  The three elements together create a wonderful, creamy juniper-filled treat.

Saison de Lente is one of The Bruery beers I have not yet had.  This is a brewery that rarely disappoints, and Saison de Lente is no exception.  Notes of spicy hops, chamomile, cinnamon and grass alert the nose to how spicy this beer is going to be.  In fact, it smells like it may be a bit overpowering.  Luckily, a hefeweizen depth to the body balances out the burst of clove, cinnamon and lemon.  At only 6.5% ABV, this beer would be great on a nice warm spring afternoon.  In fact, the creamy wheat texture seems like an almost too-good-to-be-true match for the creamy interior of the Juni.  The funky rind of the cheese is an excellent complement to the Brettanomyces in the beer.  The juniper berries settle in like old friends of the characteristic Saison spices.  Saison de Lente is briskly carbonated without being fizzy and breaks up the thick cream of the cheese very nicely, leaving behind a refreshing sensation.  After trying the two together, it almost seems like Juni is the Saison of the cheese world.  I love how wonderfully complimentary these two products are.  Nice job!

To join the Beer and Cheese Club at Goose the Market (in conjunction with Hoosier Beer Geek), check out this PDF and then either call Goose the Market at 317-924-4944 or stop in the shop at 2503 N. Delaware St.

KOTBR #92 - Knights of the Thanksgiving Table 2

Similar to last year, we decided to have a big Thanksgiving get-together complete with craft beer pairings. This year we decided to brine the turkey in a beer-based brine, using a bunch of old homebrew Kolsch. We also went with a redeye gravy that featured Dogfish Head Chicory Stout instead of coffee. The Bruery's offerings were an ideal choice since they are both new to Indiana and feature a number of spiced and Belgian style beers.


Over the course of my HBG/KOTBR career my appreciation for certain styles of beer has developed in strange ways. Lately I'll find that before really falling in love with a style, I first fall in love with the idea of the style.

For example, ever since we participated in our beer and cheese pairing with the folks at Goose the Market (thanks again, Gabe - we're thinking about you) and a reintroduction to beer from Brasserie DuPont, I've grown to love the idea of saison - the light, tight and refreshing farmhouse ale from the south of Belgium. To be fair, I'm in love with the idea of anything Belgian right now - from Eddy Merckx and the spring classics to bad weather and waffles. The love of ideas can be dangerous - often times the final result or product behind that love fails to live up to the hype.

Perhaps that's why The Bruery's Saison Rue was so pleasing - a light flowery nose, a subtle front and then a full flowery fruit finish were exactly what I had in mind. The light mouthfeel and delicate balance of flavors throughout were good enough to put this near the top of my list of favorite saisons. 4.20 Mugs

After meeting my expectations perfectly with the first round, The Bruery's Autumn Maple was a sort of let-down. The description reads as follows:

Brewed with 17 lbs. of yams per barrel (in other words, a lot of yams!), this autumn seasonal is a different take on the “pumpkin” beer style. Brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, molasses, and maple syrup, and fermented with our traditional Belgian yeast strain, this bold and spicy beer is perfect on a cold autumn evening.

With all of that going on, my expectations were extremely high - I was hoping for a sort of sweet potato superbeer. Instead what I got was a similar pumpkin beer nose - spicy cinnamon and red-hot candies, followed by a heavier-handed pumpkin-ish flavor. Had I just expected a pumpkin beer (and had I not looked all over town before I found the beer (at PartiPak)), my rating might be higher. A lovely pumpkin beer - but not what I had hoped for. 3.24 Mugs


Our final Bruery beer of the evening was Two Turtle Doves - a beer obviously meant for the Christmas season. Notes of licorice and chocolate came from the nose, but upon first sipping my thoughts immediately turned to tobacco. Warming and yet balanced, earthy and slightly fruity - it's a beer that might benefit from age - or it might be perfect right now. In either case, it's one that I think I'd enjoy. 4.20 Mugs


Giving thanks for...

...things spicy and peppery. Big and bold and spiced. Like the pepper bacon in the brussel sprouts dish that Mike and Gina brought. When I tried the Saison Rue, I thought maybe I still had some pepper in my mouth. Nope, that's just the way this golden slightly sour beer rolls. 3.49 mugs.

...things sweet and starchy. Sweet potatoes are a must have at my Thanksgiving table. My grandmother fries sliced sweet potatoes in butter and brown sugar. So really, the potatoes are just a vessel to carry other flavors. Much like the Autumn Maple. The sweet potato beer (think pumpkin beer) is best used for carrying the sweet flavor of maple syrup. I think this copper colored beer with a filmy mouthfeel needed another shot of maple syrup. 3.24 mugs.

...things dark and hot. Like hot chocolate that has been "Irished up". Two Turtle Doves offers a beer of spiked hot cocoa. It is dark like coffee and has a dark chocolate nose, but isn't overwhelmed with chocolate flavor. Because of its high ABV, this beer is very "hot", perfect to take along while wassailing this yuletide season. 3.95 mugs.


I had been cooking and baking for the past two days prior to this event, so I was a bit out of it before our little get together. Don't take that wrong; I'm not complaining. I actually volunteered our house to host and I do a huge Thanksgiving meal for Jess and me every year because I love cooking that much. But two full days really takes it out of you. I hope my notes are coherent...

Saison Rue
Basic saison style nose with brett, lemon and a hint of spice (perhaps cinnamon?). This is actually a very good example of the Saison style. It begins fairly light and champagne-like with slightly sour notes and a bit of lemon. A lot of spices are present, such as sage, coriander and black pepper. Saisons, including this one, typically finish dry which make them excellent for pairing with food.

Pairs well with turkey and stuffing.
4.0 mugs

Autumn Maple
Fruity and sugary up front with a lot of cinnamon. Although the more I think about this, the more it makes sense; this beer really tastes like a good pumpkin beer. Notes of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and maple syrup all round out a solid pumpkin or butternut squash style sweetness.

Pairs well with sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie (kind of obvious).
3.8 mugs

2 Turtle Doves
Not a lot going on in the nose besides cocoa and molasses. I get the impression of spicy imperial stout up front and the beer definitely follows through. Lots of dark chocolate, molasses, honey and bourbon. The strong roasted malts almost have a burnt marshmallow-style carcinogen character. I'm also getting some cherries in here but I'm not sure why. After I read the description on the bottle I started to pick out some toasted nut flavors as well. I would like another bottle of this to lay down for their Vertical Epic-style aging experiment.

Pairs with most desserts rich in cream, butter and chocolate.
4.1 mugs


I'm the backup when Rodney is in the kitchen so my notes are a little less discombobulated. I have a sweet gig going here; he makes the food and I get to eat it. That does mean I get to clean all the dishes though so maybe he has the sweet gig of making a mess and I clean it up?

Saison Rue
Mr. Rue pours out cloudy and dark golden with a contrasting stark white head. The nose on this bad boy is very lemony and when I take a sip I get lemon and brett in the first taste. On second taste I let it roll around my mouth a little more and I get maple syrup and just a hint of roast beef. I think I need to give more Saisons a chance but they all end up tasting like either meat or flowers. I give this 3 mugs.

Autumn Maple
This was the one of the three that I was most excited for as I love all things sweet potato. I don't know what I was expecting though because it just ended up tasting like a pumpkin ale. It poured out looking like very thin maple syrup and had a very spicy, orange peel nose. The flavor there was a very sugary pumpkin pie. Almost tasted like candied pumpkin. I'd drink it again for sure though, giving it 4 mugs.

2 Turtle Doves
This pours very dark and thick with very little head and lots of oomph. It's not as thick as Dark Lord but has a lot of the similar notes. I get a LOT of booze on the back end of this and it would definitely stand up to some aging. I made the comment that it was like someone mixed Dark Lord with cherry cough syrup. Lots of nutty chocolate notes but also a hint of cherry syrup. I'd give it 3.6 mugs only because of how boozy it was.


Overall Mug Scores
The Bruery Saison Rue: 3.67 mugs
The Bruery Autumn Maple: 3.57 mugs
The Bruery 2 Turtle Doves: 3.96 mugs